A week ago, optimism that captain Shane Doan would stick with the Coyotes could have vanished.

That's when potential buyer Greg Jamison told General Manager Don Maloney he wasn't going to be able to finalize a lease agreement with the city of Glendale and complete his bid to purchase the team before a possible NHL lockout would start at 9 p.m. on Saturday.

With Doan adamant that he would sign a contract somewhere before the current collective bargaining agreement expired and determined to pick a team with an owner, the likelihood of keeping Doan seemed bleak.

"I think we were able to show him this is the place for him and the best place for him," Maloney said.

Regular conversations with Jamison likely also helped and even though he has yet to acquire the team, Doan agreeing to a four-year, $21.2 million contract with the Coyotes on Friday suggests an ending to the three-year ownership saga could be close.

"I wish that it was completely done, and well it's not done," Doan said. "The questions have been answered in regards to Mr. Jamison having the money and Mr. Jamison having the approval from the league supposedly. He's just waiting on the lease agreement, and those three things line up then this will be done. That's kind of where we're at."

In the months leading up to Doan's decision, Jamison worked diligently to finish the sale. The crux of his motivation in doing so was to keep Doan. Other than that, there was no need to rush the process with a lockout looming.

"He really worked hard, and he's still very bullish," Maloney said. "He still believes he's going to get the team. It's just not going to happen before midnight (Saturday) night.

"So it really came down in the last week to Shane, understanding where he's at and where we're at, and I think it's a testament to Shane's belief in the organization, in Glendale, in hockey in Arizona."

The lease agreement with Glendale still remains an obstacle in Jamison's attempt to purchase the Coyotes. Both sides agreed on a 20-year, $324 million deal earlier this summer, but the city wanted to rework the deal to likely change the arena management fee paid to Jamison.

Discussions between Interim City Manager Horatio Skeete and Jamison are ongoing, but the pair didn't chat on Friday.

"I remain confident," Coyotes president Mike Nealy said. "It's been a long process - I know longer than any of us wanted and expected. But the good news is that the process is still going and it's going forward, and we remain confident that it's going to get done."

If this off-ice drama continues, Doan could be facing a scenario that he tried to avoid - playing in a city he didn't choose.

"I don't believe it is going to end up leaving but if it ever did, I'd kind of go down that direction and I'll deal with that then," Doan said.

The prospect of leaving now must have seemed worse than potentially leaving later. Whatever ultimately convinced Doan to stay, the Coyotes are grateful they don't have to deal with the alternative.

Sept. 14, 2012 - Coyotes general manager Don Maloney, Shane Doan, head coach Dave Tippett and president and chief operating officer Mike Nealy pose for a photo after a press conference announcing that Doan has re-signed with the team.